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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25965232">Through a Darkened Sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/pseuds/Bazylia_de_Grean'>Bazylia_de_Grean</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jewel in the Iron Crown [30]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pillars of Eternity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:27:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25965232</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/pseuds/Bazylia_de_Grean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nona is an elf, and he is a folk, and she has always known it means she will see him die. She knows, but nothing will ever prepare her for that day when it finally comes. That is why, before he leaves again, he wants to give her something.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Thaos ix Arkannon/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jewel in the Iron Crown [30]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566019</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>TTRPG Godsquad</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Through a Darkened Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/aban_ataashi/gifts">aban_ataashi</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They are so close it is hard to believe that the one thing every faithful Woedican has wanted for years is almost within reach. Not decades or years; only months of waiting, perhaps even just weeks. Nona cannot quite wrap her mind around that prospect, despite having been part of the plan ever since the Saint’s War.</p><p>Thaos can see the flash of amazement in her eyes every time they talk about the details of the Leaden Key’s schemes. But lately, he has noticed something else in her expression when they finish planning and have of one of those quiet – and so rare now – evenings for themselves.</p><p>Nona is an elf, and he is a folk, and she has been aware of that difference from the beginning, she has always known it means she will see him die. But she has kept herself busy and seen him regularly enough that she never really noticed how fast he ages, compared to her... until now.</p><p>He can feel her gaze on him when he turns away to retrieve something from his desk, her eyes following the lines on his face and his grey hair, and the slightly more pronounced bones in his hands. She knew, and yet it still comes as a shock, to see him changed so much when for her it seems their first kiss was just a while ago, when she still remembers the wine and the ring and the pilgrim’s crown on his pillow and then in her hair so vividly as if it happened only yesterday.</p><p>She knows, but nothing will ever prepare her for that day when it finally comes. Even he is not always prepared, after having died so many times. That is why, before he leaves again, he wants to give her something. Not to remember him by, because she will not forget. Something to remind her that she will be alone only for a moment, that he will return. That it will be merely another test, not a farewell.</p><p>Thaos open a drawer in his desk and cautiously takes out a small book, wrapped in embroidered cloth and protective magic spells. Even if they weren’t lovers, this is something Nona deserves, as a high priestess of Woedica and a future – if only temporary – leader of the Leaden Key. Besides, in whose hands would it be safer?</p><p>“Perhaps I should have given you this when you became the high priestess,” Thaos says, turning to Nona with a soft smile. “But it holds so many memories for me I wanted to keep this private, not to make it official.”</p><p>Nona looks at him curiously. “The Leaden Key Grandmaster has a secret journal?” she asks, smiling back, already forgetting her dark thoughts once she has turned her attention to him. It is a joke; she can notice how carefully he handles the packet.</p><p>Thaos chuckles. “If that’s what you are expecting, then it will disappoint you. I’m sorry.” He reaches out, offering the book to her in both hands. Slowly, she takes it, hesitating for a moment when she holds it; the book is not very heavy, but it has <em>weight </em>any cipher or devoted priest of Woedica could feel.</p><p>Nona puts the book on the desk and runs her fingers across the embroidery – runes and coils made with copper thread, and abstract patterns, some of which look like flowers, and some of which look like drakes. Then she unwraps the cloth and gasps quietly when sees its contents for the first time.</p><p>The book is bound in leather, with no runes or letters on the cover. Instead, there is Woedica’s crown, made of small, thin tiles of white adra, adorned with regular adra and copper. The stone is cracked in a few places, but the crown itself is <em>unbroken</em>.</p><p>“It’s...” Nona’s eyes are wide with awe. “It’s from <em>before</em>?”</p><p>Thaos nods. “Yes.”</p><p>She tears her gaze away from the book and looks at him. “Yours?” she asks quietly. After all this time, she shouldn’t be so surprised by finding his traces all across the ages, and that is what she is telling herself... But still, she is.</p><p>He wordlessly confirms it.</p><p>Nona keeps looking at him, for a moment wanting to ask about so many things, but in the end not voicing any of her questions. She looks down at the book, runs her fingertips reverently across the adra crown, along the book’s spine, along the edges of yellow, crumpling pages.</p><p>“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, perhaps more to herself than to him.</p><p>“Open it,” Thaos encourages gently.</p><p>Nona does, and her eyes widen again at the sight of Engwithan letters, runes drawn in familiar handwriting. “It’s a prayer book, isn’t it?” She touches the words, tries to read some of them under her breath... and freezes, because as she does, she hears his voice whispering the prayers along with her, in her ears and in her mind even though he does not speak – neither his lips nor his thoughts.</p><p>When she finally lifts her head again, her eyes are damp. “How...” Cipher tricks, obviously. She knows. She is simply at a loss for words. “You... Why?”</p><p>Thaos comes over, stops behind Nona and puts his arms around her, his palms cradling hers. “So that you wouldn’t be alone when I’m gone, jewel.” He kisses her temple. “I can still alter it, if you wish. Add something new. Make it feel like this very moment right now.”</p><p>“No, it...” Nona tries very hard not to sniffle. “It wouldn’t...” And fails. Swallows. Takes a few deep breaths. “It would be... very unbecoming of a high priestess of Woedica... if she burst into tears while praying... wouldn’t it?” she says, in a very small and brittle voice, bravely attempting to smile.</p><p>Thaos leans in and smiles again her cheek. “Probably not.”</p><p>“I’ll be fine. Really.” A pause, a breath. “Eventually. It won’t be long, right? Two decades. It will be over in a blink of an eye.”</p><p>“Yes, it will.” Thaos pulls away a little, giving her enough space to help her get a grip on herself and calm down. “That’s what I wanted to remind you of.”</p><p>Nona turns and wraps her arms around him, burrowing her face into his robe for a moment, and finally laying her head against his shoulder, her forehead touching his neck, so close her hair tickles his nose when he leans in and holds her. She is trying very hard not to cry.</p><p>Thaos strokes her hair and her thoughts, and with a feather-light touch he tilts them into something calmer and more peaceful, if not happier. Into focusing on this moment, on their embrace, the warmth of him and the scent of adra incense. A moment out of time. Just a few heartbeats; eternity.</p><p>“Could you give me this?” Nona whispers. This: when she cannot stop the thoughts she does not want to dwell on, when she is so close to breaking but he holds her up, close, reminds her that he is here. That after he will be gone, he will return and be here beside her again. She does not want a constant reminder. Just something that will help her pass through the darkest hours.</p><p>“Of course, jewel,” Thaos murmurs against the top of her head.</p><p>He pulls back a little and touches her robe right where her necklace is, and the adra warms up under his palm when he focuses, drawing from her soul and senses until the impression is perfect, and then etching the memory into the stone. Nona puts her hand over his, waiting patiently.</p><p>When he finishes, she lifts his hand as she bows her head a little to kiss his fingers. “Thank you,” she says softly.</p><p>Thaos touches her cheek, leans in and simply kisses her, and Nona instantly responds, winding her arms around his neck to pull him closer, the book entirely forgotten for now. There are more words of comfort he could offer, but none would bring her as much peace as this, as everything he can tell her with hands and lips against skin, speaking in a language that doesn’t exist and has no name except for <em>another soul</em>, and yet can be understood by all.</p><p>Later, when Nona curls up beside him and he wraps his arms and a sheet around her, he feels her smile against his shoulder.</p><p>“Do you think you could enchant the pillow too?” she asks, in a completely serious tone, only to start laughing right after she finishes the sentence.</p><p>Thaos smiles. “I suppose.” They both know she is only joking.</p><p>Nona puts her hand over his heart, quiet for a while, listening to their breaths. “Remember when you told me you will ask me about something when you... come back?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“And when I told you that I’d choose you in any lifetime?” She tilts her head to look at him.</p><p>Thaos kisses her forehead. “Yes.”</p><p>“I take that back.” Her eyes are gleaming with tears again, but this time, she manages to smile, even as she tries to press herself even closer against him. “So when you return you’ll have to find me and ask again.”</p>
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